QUIRKY IDEAS FOR CORONA AWARENESS

With life at a standstill during the lockdown, artists have been coming up with different ideas to spread awareness about Covid-19. Latest among them is a modified, coronavirus-inspired auto rickshaw, being put to use in Chennai. Artist B Gowtham, 27, says, “The idea was to make the police’s and administration’s work easier with attention-grabbing art.”

A few weeks ago, he had also come up with the idea of coronavirus-shaped helmets. Police officers in Chennai wore the helmets to deter people from stepping out of their homes.

“Auto rickshaw is the identity of Chennai, so it was my obvious choice as it would send out the message loud and clear,” he adds. The structure is made of 165 discarded plastic bottles, and it took six days to make this quirky piece of art. “We had to be very careful as it had to look aesthetically beautiful as well as technically sound,” informs Gowtham. The auto is also fitted with an audio system to share awareness messages. “This auto is here to make people aware of the crisis and how wearing masks will help save lives,” he adds.